Burford, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Burford is a rural
community
and is part of the County of Brant, in central southwestern Ontario
. It has 1,940 residents (2006 Census). It is located eight kilometers west of the City of Brantford along Highway 53, and seventy kilometers east of London, Ontario
. It is approximately 100 km southwest of Toronto
.
Burford was the largest town of the former Burford Township, which included Cathcart, Harley and Princeton. Burford's ‘downtown’, the intersection of Maple Avenue and King Street (Highway 53), includes a stop light, several small businesses and a post office. The community was founded by Canadians
of German
, Dutch
and British
backgrounds. Shortly after the Rebellion of 1837
, Burford was the centre of an abortive rebellion in the Western District of Upper Canada
led by Charles Duncombe. In 1999, Burford became part of the County of Brant, an amalgamation of several local municipalities including Brantford Township, the town of Paris, Oakland Township, Onondaga Township and South Dumfries Township. The current mayor of the County of Brant is Ron Eddy.
Historically, when tobacco
was lucrative, the farms and families surrounding Burford were relatively prosperous. However, when smoking
habits began to change in the 1980s, the economy slipped into decline. Currently, farmers are more likely to be growing ginseng
for oriental markets than tobacco. Dairy
, poultry
, hog and fish
farming persist and range from large scale commercial operations to subsistence type family farms. The community has lost population since the 1970s and is eager to attract new investment.
Burford District High School was the only secondary institution for eighty years, opening in 1922 and closing in June 2002 due to low enrollment. The building was then revamped to become Burford District Elementary School
and drew students from three elementary schools which were closed around the same time: Maple Avenue, Coronation and Harley-Northfield. The Maple Avenue School is now home to the Burford Islamic School or Darul Uloom Al Islamiah Burford, a private school with a Muslim
based education. Most high school age students now attend Paris District High School
, Brantford Collegiate Institute
or Assumption College and St. John’s College Catholic
schools.
There are few visible minorities except for migrant workers from Jamaica
and Mexico
who are readily welcomed into the community as they are viewed as vital part of the local economy.
Burford is home to the Burford Bulldogs
, a junior hockey team that plays in the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
.
Burford has a local golf course, Burford Golf Links, which was founded in 1980. It has gone through a number of different owners and is now currently part of the GolfNorth group of golf courses.
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
and is part of the County of Brant, in central southwestern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. It has 1,940 residents (2006 Census). It is located eight kilometers west of the City of Brantford along Highway 53, and seventy kilometers east of London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
. It is approximately 100 km southwest of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
Burford was the largest town of the former Burford Township, which included Cathcart, Harley and Princeton. Burford's ‘downtown’, the intersection of Maple Avenue and King Street (Highway 53), includes a stop light, several small businesses and a post office. The community was founded by Canadians
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
backgrounds. Shortly after the Rebellion of 1837
Upper Canada Rebellion
The Upper Canada Rebellion was, along with the Lower Canada Rebellion in Lower Canada, a rebellion against the British colonial government in 1837 and 1838. Collectively they are also known as the Rebellions of 1837.-Issues:...
, Burford was the centre of an abortive rebellion in the Western District of Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
led by Charles Duncombe. In 1999, Burford became part of the County of Brant, an amalgamation of several local municipalities including Brantford Township, the town of Paris, Oakland Township, Onondaga Township and South Dumfries Township. The current mayor of the County of Brant is Ron Eddy.
Historically, when tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
was lucrative, the farms and families surrounding Burford were relatively prosperous. However, when smoking
Tobacco smoking
Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the resulting smoke is inhaled. The practice may have begun as early as 5000–3000 BCE. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 16th century where it followed common trade routes...
habits began to change in the 1980s, the economy slipped into decline. Currently, farmers are more likely to be growing ginseng
Ginseng
Ginseng is any one of eleven species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, belonging to the genus Panax of the family Araliaceae....
for oriental markets than tobacco. Dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
, poultry
Poultry
Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...
, hog and fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
farming persist and range from large scale commercial operations to subsistence type family farms. The community has lost population since the 1970s and is eager to attract new investment.
Burford District High School was the only secondary institution for eighty years, opening in 1922 and closing in June 2002 due to low enrollment. The building was then revamped to become Burford District Elementary School
Burford District Elementary School
Burford District Elementary School is a public elementary school in the community of Burford, County of Brant, Ontario, Canada in the Grand Erie District School Board....
and drew students from three elementary schools which were closed around the same time: Maple Avenue, Coronation and Harley-Northfield. The Maple Avenue School is now home to the Burford Islamic School or Darul Uloom Al Islamiah Burford, a private school with a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
based education. Most high school age students now attend Paris District High School
Paris District High School
Paris District High School is a regional high school in Paris, Ontario, Canada. The school itself was built in 1923, replacing the previous Grammar School which had been built in 1858, and was known officially as Paris High School until a large addition was constructed in the late 1960s.In 2004,...
, Brantford Collegiate Institute
Brantford Collegiate Institute
Brantford Collegiate Institute and Vocational School, also known as simply "Brantford Collegiate Institute" or "BCI", is a secondary school in the city of Brantford...
or Assumption College and St. John’s College Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
schools.
There are few visible minorities except for migrant workers from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
who are readily welcomed into the community as they are viewed as vital part of the local economy.
Burford is home to the Burford Bulldogs
Burford Bulldogs
The Burford Bulldogs are Canadian Junior ice hockey team based in Burford, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League.-History:The Burford Bulldogs were founded in 1988 after a long layoff of junior hockey in the town of Burford...
, a junior hockey team that plays in the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League
The Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League is a Junior level ice hockey league sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association based out of Southwestern Ontario....
.
Burford has a local golf course, Burford Golf Links, which was founded in 1980. It has gone through a number of different owners and is now currently part of the GolfNorth group of golf courses.
External links
- The Burford Times is a weekly, independently-owned community newspaper.
- Kinsmen Club of Brantford, a Service Club active in Burford area.
- Burford Bulldogs online stats and schedule.
- County of Brant's website.
- The Early Political and Military History of Burford
- GolfNorth